Hard disk apparatus, medium, and collection of information

ABSTRACT

Alternation processes reduce the recording and reproducing speed of a hard disk apparatus.  
     A hard disk apparatus comprising: an HDD  10  for recording AV data onto a hard disk; and stream controlling means  8  which is connected to the HDD  10  and thereby processes the signal of AV data transmitted from an IEEE1394 I/F  7  or the signal of AV data transmitted to the IEEE1394 I/F  7 ; whereby the hard disk apparatus can record and/or reproduce the AV data, wherein when AV data transfer is not normally completed for a disk access unit which is a minimum continuous unit in the access to the hard disk, an alternation process on a disk access unit basis is carried out so that another disk access unit is used hereafter in place of that disk access unit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a hard disk apparatus, an accessmethod, a recording/reproducing method, a medium, and a program.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] With recent progress and spread of personal computers, a largenumber of hard disk apparatuses have been used as external storage unitsbecause of the advantage of their large capacity and high speed. At thesame time, recent increase in the size of computer software and in theamount of handled data has caused the necessity of much larger capacityin hard disk apparatuses serving as external storage units.

[0003] In addition to the case of computers, also in digital AVequipment for recording and reproducing video and audio data by means ofdigital technology, the use of hard disk apparatuses is graduallyincreasing because of the advantage of their large capacity and highspeed. Also in this application, hard disk apparatuses of much larger AVdata of huge size.

[0004] Described below is a prior art system for recording andreproducing AV data.

[0005]FIG. 13 shows the configuration of a hard disk apparatus composedof a prior art hard disk drive (HDD) 10 and a personal computer (PC) 60.Here, the PC 60 is a personal computer for processing AV data in realtime.

[0006] A magnetic disk 23 is a magnetic recording medium for recordingdata.

[0007] A magnetic head 24 is means of recording and reproducinginformation to and from the magnetic disk 23.

[0008] An actuator 25 is means of positioning the magnetic head 24 at anarbitrary radial position on the magnetic disk 23 with the magnetic head24 at the tip.

[0009] The actuator 25 comprises a carriage 25 a, a suspension 25 b, adrive coil 25 c, a permanent magnet 25 d, and so on.

[0010] The carriage 25 a is means of rocking around a fulcrum at pointc.

[0011] The suspension 25 b is attached to the carriage 25 a, and ismeans of maintaining the magnetic head 24 in a levitated state a fewtens nanometers above the surface of the magnetic disk 23 by means of alevitation mechanism called a slider.

[0012] The drive coil 25 c is means of generating a driving force incooperation with the permanent magnet 25 d arranged opposingly thereto,and thereby causing the actuator 25 to rotate or rock.

[0013] The permanent magnet 25 d is means of generating the drivingforce in cooperation with the drive coil 25 c, and thereby causing theactuator 25 to rotate or rock.

[0014] A head amplifier 27 is means of detecting and amplifying areproduced signal from the magnetic head 24, and of amplifying arecording signal.

[0015] A controller 26 is means of: detecting the position of themagnetic head 24 relatively to the magnetic disk 23 on the basis of theoutput from the head amplifier 27; outputting to a driver 28 a controlsignal for positioning the actuator 25 to a predetermined position onthe magnetic disk 23; converting a signal read from the output of thehead amplifier 27, into digital data; and converting digital data to berecorded, into a signal to be written in, and then providing the signalto the head amplifier 27.

[0016] A driver 28 is means of providing a current corresponding to thecontrol signal, to the actuator 25.

[0017] An interface 29 is means of transmitting and receiving digitalinformation to and from the PC 60.

[0018] A buffer cache 30 is means of storing such information andthereby improving the efficiency of the recording and reproducing in themagnetic disk 23.

[0019] Although not shown in the figure, the system further comprises: aspindle motor for driving the revolution of the magnetic disk 23; abuffer control unit for controlling the buffer cache 30; and aninformation recording and reproducing circuit.

[0020]FIG. 14 shows the magnetic disk 23. The surface of the magneticdisk 23 is partitioned into tracks 62 each of which is a concentricregion for recording data. Each track 62 is, in turn, partitioned intosectors 63. Each track 62 is provided with a sequential track numberstarting from the inside or the outside. Accordingly, each recordingsegment on the magnetic disk 23 is specified by the combination of atrack number and a sector number. As such, in the HDD 10, access iscarried out on a sector 63 basis. Accordingly, when a set of AV data iscomposed of a plurality of sectors 63, these sectors 63 are notnecessarily arranged within the same track 62 or within adjacent tracks62. That is, in some cases, a set of AV data can be distributed intonon-consecutive sectors 63.

[0021] Further, the magnetic disk 23 has a region called an alternateregion in addition to the recording region for AV data. Sectors withinthe alternate region are called alternate sectors. The alternate regionis provided, for example, in the inner circumference portion of themagnetic disk 23. The alternate sectors are used as replacements ofdefective sectors, when defective sectors in which recording and/orreproducing are not carried out normally occur in the magnetic disk 23.

[0022] Described below is the operation of the prior art system forrecording and reproducing AV data.

[0023] First, described below is the operation of recording to andreproducing from the magnetic disk 23 by the HDD 10.

[0024] In the recording or reproducing of AV data, the magnetic head 24moves to (seeks) a track where AV data is recorded. Then, the magnetichead 24 waits for the rotation of the magnetic disk 23 until anappropriate sector for recording or reproducing comes under the magnetichead 24. After that, the recording or reproducing of the AV data isstarted.

[0025] At this time, consecutive sectors can be read out continuouslywithout magnetic head 24 movement or rotation waiting. In contrast,read-out from non-consecutive sectors needs the three repeated processesof magnetic head 24 movement, rotation waiting, and data read-out. Thatis, the time of magnetic head 24 movement and rotation waiting, duringwhich data cannot be read is necessary as an extra time, in comparisonwith the case of consecutive sectors.

[0026] Thus, when a large amount of data such as video and audio data istransferred successively for a long time, and when the data is recordedand reproduced, the data is recorded in a distributed manner over aplurality of tracks. This causes the necessity of track jump actions(seek actions) from a track to another track and rotation waiting,during the recording and reproducing. Since recording and reproducingdata is not performed at all in such a period, the rate of recording andreproducing a large amount of data which is transferred successively isreduced, and the transfer performance is degraded.

[0027] When the track jump action is carried out normally, the nextrecording or reproducing can be started after the above-mentioned time.Nevertheless, settling operation for damping residual oscillation afterthe track jump takes a substantial time in some cases. During thisoperation, the starting point for the next recording or reproducing canpass by. In this case, the system needs to wait for the next turn ofdisk rotation. This degrades the transfer performance further.

[0028] Accordingly, in the recording and reproducing of video and audiodata, continuous transfer performance is essential, because in theabove-mentioned cases, the video and audio reproduction can stoptemporarily (frame drop)

[0029] Described below is an example of operation in which continuoustransfer performance of AV data is ensured. In this example, the PC 60records AV data into the HDD 10, and at the same time, reproduces the AVdata having been recorded in the HDD 10.

[0030] When AV data is recorded and reproduced as an MPEG-2 transportstream, the PC 60 transfers the data to the HDD 10 on a GOP (group ofpicture) basis.

[0031] That is, in the recording of AV data transmitted from an externaldevice at a rate of 30 frames per second, the PC 60 stores the AV datasuccessively into a buffer 76 provided in the main memory.

[0032] Then, when a complete GOP is stored in the buffer 76, the PC 60transfers the GOP to the interface 29 of the HDD 10, and then issues arecord command.

[0033]FIG. 15(a) shows a 1GOP 64 as an example of a GOP. A GOP istreated as a unit in the editing of AV data, and includes necessarily anI-frame. In the example shown in FIG. 15(a), the 1GOP 64 contains theframes of I, B, B, P, B, . . . in this order. A GOP contains AV data for0.5 second or the like. That is, when the AV data is at the rate of 30frames per second, each GOP contains 15 frames. In case of AV data forordinary resolution televisions, the size of a GOP is generally from 512Kbytes to 1 Mbytes. In case of AV data for high definition televisions,the size is from 1.5 Mbytes to 2 Mbytes.

[0034] The size of a GOP is variable. Thus, when the PC 60 transfers theAV data of the 1GOP 64 to the HDD 10, fixed length data is formed byadding dummy data 65 to the 1GOP 64, as illustrated by a fixed lengthblock 66 in FIG. 15(b). The PC 60 transfers the fixed length block 66 tothe interface 29.

[0035] In case of AV data for ordinary resolution televisions, the sizeof the fixed length block 66 is assumed to be, for example, 1 Mbytes. Incase of AV data for high definition televisions, the size of the fixedlength block 66 is assumed to be, for example, 2 Mbytes.

[0036] On receiving the record command issued from the PC 60 via theinterface 29, the controller 26 records the data of the fixed lengthblock 66 onto the magnetic disk 23.

[0037] In contrast, in the reproducing of the AV data, the PC 60 issuesa read command to the interface 29.

[0038] On receiving the read command issued from the PC 60 via theinterface 29, the controller 26 reads out the data of a fixed lengthblock 66 having the structure shown in FIG. 15(b), from the magneticdisk 23.

[0039] The PC 60 receives the data read out by the controller 26 fromthe interface 29, and temporarily stores the data of the fixed lengthblock 66 composed of the 1GOP 64 and the dummy data 65, into the buffer76. The PC 60 then carries out the AV decoding of the 1GOP 64 portionalone stored in the buffer 76, at the rate of 30 frames per second orthe like, and thereby displays the data on the monitor connected to thePC 60.

[0040]FIG. 15(c) shows a time chart of simultaneous recording andreproducing of fixed length blocks 66 each composed of a 1GOP 64 anddummy data 65.

[0041] In the prior art system, the operation is divided into timeintervals of length T (T indicates a predetermined time length). The PC60 controls the HDD 10 so as to record and reproduce the data once ineach time interval T. That is, as shown in FIG. 15(c), the PC 60controls the HDD 10 so as to record a fixed length block 66 a andreproduce a fixed length block 66 b in a time interval T.

[0042]FIG. 16 shows reproducing operation. In the reproducing, the PC 60controls the HDD 10 so as to read out the AV data stored on the magneticdisk 23 on a fixed length block 66 basis. The PC 60 reads out the dataof a fixed length block 66 once in a time interval T as indicated byread-out 68 a, and then stores the data in the buffer 76. Also in thenext time interval T, the PC 60 reads out the data of a fixed lengthblock 66 once as indicated by read-out 68 b, and then stores the data inthe buffer 76. Further, in the second next time interval T, the PC 60reads out the data of a fixed length block 66 once as indicated byread-out 68 c, and then stores the data in the buffer 76.

[0043] At the same time, the PC 60 successively reads and decodes the AVdata stored in the buffer 76. That is, the PC 60 successively reads anddecodes the data on a 1GOP (containing the AV data of 15 frames, in thisprior art example) basis, as indicated by output 69 a, 69 b, and 69 c.

[0044] As such, the PC 60 controls the HDD 10 so as to record andreproduce the data once in each time interval T on a fixed length block66 basis.

[0045] Even in a more general case of multi-channel processing in whichthe PC 60 and the HDD 10 record and reproduce, for example two channelsof AV data simultaneously, the PC 60 controls the HDD 10 so as to recordand reproduce the data of each channel once in each time interval T.

[0046] In such multi-channel processing by the PC 60, the processing iscarried out cyclically for each channel in an order previouslydetermined by the PC 60. This situation is described below for the caseof multi-channel processing for four channels.

[0047] Here, process A indicates the process of recording (orreproducing) of AV data 1. Process B indicates the process of recording(or reproducing) of AV data 2. Process C indicates the process ofrecording (or reproducing) of AV data 3. Process D indicates the processof recording (or reproducing) of AV data 4.

[0048] The PC 60 carries out the processes A, B, C, and D of recordinginto (or reproducing from) the HDD 10 in this order in a time interval Ton a fixed length block 66 basis. Also in the next time interval T, thePC 60 carries out the processes A, B, C, and D of recording into (orreproducing from) the HDD 10 in this order on a fixed length block 66basis. Further, in the second next time interval T, the PC 60 carriesout the processes A, B, C, and D in this order.

[0049] As such, in multi-channel processing by the PC 60, the processingis carried out cyclically for each channel in each time interval T inthe predetermined order.

[0050] That is, even in multi-channel processing in which the PC 60 andthe HDD 10 record and reproduce multi-channel AV data, the PC 60controls the HDD 10 so as to record and reproduce the data of eachchannel once in each time interval T in a predetermined order, wherebycontinuous transfer of the AV data is ensured for each channel.

[0051] As described above, the PC 60 controls the HDD 10 so as to recordand reproduce the AV data of each channel once and only once in eachtime interval T on a fixed length block 66 basis. At that time, when ittakes a longer time in recording to or reproducing from the magneticdisk 23 than normal cases, such a case can occur that the recording orreproducing of the data of a fixed length block 66 is not completedduring the time interval T. An example of such cases is that a defectivesector is found during the recording or reproducing in the magnetic disk23 of the HDD 10, and that the HDD 10 retries the process.

[0052] In such a case, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 17(a), theprocess of recording or reproducing in the HDD 10 continues after theelapse of time T. Thus, the delay time interval 70 has a time length ofT′ longer than T. This delay propagates to the subsequent processes ofrecording and reproducing.

[0053] In another case, as shown in FIG. 17(b), in a delay time interval71, a recording process has been delayed, whereby the subsequentreproducing process cannot complete during the time interval T. Thiscauses a drop in the data as indicated by a drop 72.

[0054] In any case, when recording and/or reproducing processes are notcompleted during the time interval T, caused is a drop in the data or adelay in the subsequent processes of recording and reproducing.

[0055]FIG. 18 shows reproducing operation in case that the process hasbeen delayed as described above. The data of a fixed length block 66 isnot read out from the HDD 10 as indicated by read-out 73. In spite ofthis, the data of the fixed length block 66 needs to be output asindicated by output 74. Thus, a drop occurs in the AV data output fromthe PC 60. That is, when a recording or reproducing process in themagnetic disk 23 is not completed during the time interval T, a dropoccurs in the AV data during the recording or reproducing process. Thisimpairs continuous transfer of the AV data.

[0056] Further, as mentioned above, defective regions occur in themagnetic disk 23 by aging and the like during the use of the HDD 10.

[0057] Described below is the management of such defective regionscarried out by the PC 60 and the HDD 10.

[0058] The PC 60 and the HDD 10 are provided with error recoveryfunctions in order to improve the reliability in recording andreproducing.

[0059] Such error recovery functions include: a retry process in whichrecording or reproducing is retried in the region where an error hasoccurred; and an alternation process and an LBA reassignment process inwhich the LBA having been assigned to the region where an error hasoccurred is reassigned to another region, whereby the use of the regionwhere an error has occurred is terminated.

[0060] The retry process carried out by the HDD 10 is described belowfirst.

[0061] When an error has occurred during the recording or reproducing ofa sector indicated by an LBA specified by the PC 60, the controller 26moves the magnetic head 24 slightly, and then retries the recording orreproducing. Such retry processes are repeated a predetermined timesuntil normal recording or reproducing is achieved.

[0062] In case that normal recording or reproducing is not achieved evenafter the retry processes of the predetermined times, the controller 26determines the sector as defective, and thereby invokes an alternationprocess described below. The alternation process is carried out withinthe HDD 10.

[0063] FIG, 19 illustrates an alternation process. FIG. 19(a) shows thecorrespondence between LBAs and magnetic disk 23 regions before thealternation process. FIG. 19(b) shows the correspondence between LBAsand magnetic disk 23 regions after the alternation process. FIG. 19(c)shows the magnetic disk 23.

[0064] In order to record or reproduce AV data to or from the HDD 10,the PC 60 notifies an LBA to be recorded or reproduced, to the HDD 10.The controller 26 of the HDD 10 carries out the recording or reproducingthe data in a sector specified by the LBA. That is, the controller 26has a table of correspondence between LBAs and magnetic disk 23 regions.

[0065] In normal recording or reproducing, the correspondence table isas shown in FIG. 19(a). That is, LBAs 1-6 sequentially correspond to thesectors in a region A of the magnetic disk 23. An LBA 7 corresponds to asector B of the magnetic disk 23. LBAs 8-12 sequentially correspond tothe sectors in a region C of the magnetic disk 23.

[0066] It is assumed that an error has occurred during the recording tothe LBA 7. That is, during the recording to the sector B, data was notrecorded normally even after the retry processes of the predeterminedtimes. Alternatively, it is assumed that during the reproducing from thesector B, retry processes have been repeated the predetermined times ormore.

[0067] In such a case, the controller 26 determines the sector B of themagnetic disk 23 as defective, and thereby updates the above-mentionedcorrespondence table so that an alternate sector B′ in the alternateregion is used in place of the sector B.

[0068] As described above, the magnetic disk 23 is provided with apredetermined region used for alternation processes. A sector withinthis region is used as an alternate sector in an alternation process.

[0069] That is, as shown in FIG. 19(c), the correspondence table isupdated such that the LBA 7 indicates the sector B′.

[0070] After this process, when receiving from the PC 60 an instructionof recording or reproducing in LBA 7, the controller 26 carries out therecording or reproducing in the sector B′ instead of the sector B.

[0071] As such, in the alternation process, when a defective sector isfound, the controller 26 updates the correspondence table between LBAsand magnetic disk 23 sectors, whereby after that, an alternate sector inthe alternate region is used instead of the defective sector.

[0072] As a result of the alternation process, such a separate sector B′as shown in FIG. 19(b) is assigned to the LBA. This causes seek actionseven in the access to consecutive LBAs, and hence degrades thecontinuous transfer performance in the hard disk apparatus.

[0073]FIG. 20 illustrates an LBA reassignment process carried out by thePC 60. During this reassignment process, the function of alternationprocess in the HDD 10 is turned off. FIG. 20(a) shows the result of anLBA reassignment process carried out when the sector indicated by theLBA 7 was defective similarly to the case of FIG. 19(b).

[0074] That is, the PC 60 has an LBA correspondence table shown in FIG.20(a). This table corresponds LBAs used in the PC 60 to LBAs used in theHDD 10.

[0075] The sector corresponding to the LBA 7 is defective. Accordingly,access to the LBA 7 causes an access error.

[0076] When the number of such defective sectors increases to a certainlevel, an LBA reassignment process is carried out. The LBA reassignmentprocess avoids the use of the defective sector B. That is, LBAs used inthe PC 60 are corresponded to LBAs used in the HDD 10 as shown in FIG.20(a). This avoids the use of the defective sector B. Further, the LBAcorrespondence table is generated such that the LBAs used in the PC 60correspond to the sectors in the order of disk rotation. By virtue ofthis, when the PC 60 accesses the LBAs sequentially, the sectors areaccessed sequentially in the order of disk rotation with skipping thedefective region. This avoids the necessity of seek actions.

[0077] Nevertheless, in the prior art system for recording andreproducing AV data, when the recording is carried out on a GOP basis,recording data of fixed size is generated by adding dummy data to theGOP. This increases the size of the data, and thereby causes an idletime in the data transfer, in comparison with the case of the GOP alone.

[0078] That is, there has been the problem that the recording on a GOPbasis needs adding of dummy data, and that this increases the size ofthe data, and thereby causes an idle time in the data transfer.

[0079] Further, there has been the problem that when the recording orreproducing is not completed during the predetermined time interval, thebuffer action becomes incomplete, whereby a drop occurs in the recordedor reproduced AV data.

[0080] Furthermore, in the management of defective regions, analternation process assigns an LBA to a separate sector as illustratedby the LBA 7 in FIG. 19(b). This causes the necessity of seek actionseven in the access to consecutive LBAs. Accordingly, when thealternation processes are repeated, the number of necessary seek actionsincreases and thereby degrades the performance of recording andreproducing in the hard disk apparatus.

[0081] That is, there has been the problem that the alternation processdegrades the performance of recording and reproducing in the hard diskapparatus.

[0082] In order to resolve the above-mentioned problems, the PC carriesout an LBA reassignment process as described above. Nevertheless, thisLBA reassignment process takes a long time because the data alreadyrecorded in the sectors needs to be moved to another sectors. That is,there has been the problem that the LBA reassignment process needs along time.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0083] The present invention has been devised with considering theproblem that the recording on a GOP basis needs adding of dummy data,and that this increases the size of the data, and thereby causes an idletime in the data transfer. An object of the invention is to provide ahard disk apparatus, a recording/reproducing method, a medium, and aprogram capable of avoiding an idle time in data transfer.

[0084] Further, the invention has been devised with considering theproblem that when the recording or reproducing is not completed during apredetermined time interval, the buffer action becomes incomplete,whereby a drop occurs in the recorded or reproduced AV data. An objectof the invention is to provide a hard disk apparatus, arecording/reproducing method, a medium, and a program in which even whenthe recording or reproducing of AV data is delayed, the delay isrecovered, whereby no drop occurs in the AV data.

[0085] The invention has been devised with considering the problem thatin the management of defective regions, the alternation process degradesthe performance of recording and reproducing in the hard disk apparatus.An object of the invention is to provide a hard disk apparatus, anaccess method, a medium, and a program in which in the management ofdefective regions, the alternation process does not degrade theperformance of recording and reproducing in the hard disk apparatus.

[0086] The invention has been devised with considering the problem thatin the management of defective regions, the LBA reassignment processneeds a long time. An object of the invention is to provide a hard diskapparatus, an access method, a medium, and a program in which in themanagement of defective regions, LBA reassignment is unnecessary.

[0087] To solve the problem described above, the first invention of thepresent invention (corresponding to claim 1) is a hard disk apparatuscomprising:

[0088] recording means of recording AV data onto a hard disk; and

[0089] stream controlling means which is connected to the recordingmeans and thereby processes the signal of AV data transmitted from aninterface or the signal of AV data transmitted to the interface; whereby

[0090] the hard disk apparatus can record and/or reproduce the AV data,wherein

[0091] when AV data transfer is not normally completed for a disk accessunit which is a minimum continuous unit in the access to the hard diskand has a size ensuring real-time transfer of the AV data, analternation process on a disk access unit basis is carried out so thatanother disk access unit is used hereafter in place of that disk accessunit.

[0092] A 2nd invention of the present invention (corresponding to Claim2) is a hard disk apparatus according to the 1st invention, wherein thecase that the transfer is not normally completed indicates the case thatthe number of events that the AV data transfer is not normally completedfor the disk access unit within a predetermined time interval exceeds apredetermined value.

[0093] A 3rd invention of the present invention (corresponding to Claim3) is a hard disk apparatus according to the 1st or 2nd invention,wherein when the AV data transfer is not normally completed for a sectoron the hard disk, the recording means carries out an alternation processon a sector basis so that another sector is used hereafter in place ofthe sector in which the transfer is not normally completed.

[0094] A 4th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim4) is a hard disk apparatus comprising:

[0095] recording means of recording AV data onto a hard disk; and

[0096] stream controlling means which is connected to the recordingmeans and thereby processes the signal of AV data transmitted from aninterface or the signal of AV data transmitted to the interface; whereby

[0097] the hard disk apparatus can record and/or reproduce the AV datain multi-channel processing, wherein:

[0098] in the recording, in the timing that the AV data transmitted fromthe interface is accumulated to a predetermined size in a buffer in thestream controlling means, the stream controlling means generates a writerequest for causing the data having the predetermined size accumulatedin the buffer to be transferred to the recording means, and then therecording means records the data having the predetermined size; and

[0099] in the reproducing, in the timing that the data having thepredetermined size is read out from the buffer in the stream controllingmeans into the interface, the stream controlling means generates a readrequest for causing the data to be transferred from the recording means,and then the recording means reads out the data having the predeterminedsize and thereby stores the data into the buffer.

[0100] A 5th invention of the present invention (corresponding to Claim5) is a hard disk apparatus according to the 4th invention, wherein thestream controlling means issues transfer commands corresponding to thewrite and read requests to the recording means, in the order ofreception of the requests.

[0101] A 6th invention of the present invention (corresponding toClaim6) is a hard disk apparatus according to the 4th invention, whereinthe stream controlling means issues transfer commands corresponding tothe write and read requests to the recording means, in the order ofpredetermined priority.

[0102] A 7th invention of the present invention (corresponding to Claim7) is a hard disk apparatus according to any one of the 4th to 6thinventions, wherein the data having the predetermined size has a fixedlength.

[0103] An 8th invention of the present invention (corresponding to Claim8) is a hard disk apparatus according to the 7th invention, wherein thefixed length is an integer multiple of the byte number of a sector.

[0104] A 9th invention of the present invention (corresponding toClaim9) is a hard disk apparatus according to the 7th or 8th invention,wherein:

[0105] the AV data is an MPEG transport stream; and

[0106] the data having the predetermined size is composed of a headerand a predetermined number of time-stamped packet data pieces eachgenerated by adding a time stamp to a transport packet of the AV data.

[0107] A 10th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim10) is a computer-processable medium carrying a program and/or data forcausing a computer to execute all or part of the function of all or partof the means constituting a hard disk apparatus according to any one ofthe 1st to 9th inventions.

[0108] An 11th invention of the present invention (corresponding toclaim 11) is an information set serving as a program and/or data forcausing a computer to execute all or part of the function of all or partof the means according to any one of the 1st to 9th inventions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0109]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an HDD unitaccording to Embodiment 1 of the invention.

[0110]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of anIEEE1394 I/F and stream controlling means according to Embodiment 1 ofthe invention.

[0111]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of anHDD according to Embodiment 1 of the invention.

[0112]FIG. 4 illustrates seek, settling, and tracking actions accordingto Embodiment 1 of the invention.

[0113]FIG. 5 shows transfer rates per channel as a function of recordsize according to Embodiment 1 of the invention.

[0114]FIG. 6(a) illustrates that a record unit according to Embodiment 1of the invention is composed of a transport packet and a time stamp.

[0115]FIG. 6(b) shows the record format of a disk access unit accordingto Embodiment 1 of the invention.

[0116]FIG. 7 shows a method of data transfer according to Embodiment 1of the invention.

[0117]FIG. 8 is a time chart showing the situation in which recordingand reproducing of AV data are carried out simultaneously according toEmbodiment 1 of the invention.

[0118]FIG. 9 is a time chart showing the situation in which recordingand reproducing of AV data are carried out simultaneously according toEmbodiment 1 of the invention.

[0119]FIG. 10 shows the record format of a disk access unit according toEmbodiment 1 of the invention.

[0120]FIG. 11 shows a correspondence table for corresponding each LBA tothe combination of a track and a sector according to Embodiment 2 of theinvention.

[0121]FIG. 12(a) shows a DAU management table according to Embodiment 2of the invention.

[0122]FIG. 12(a) shows a DAU conversion table according to Embodiment 2of the invention.

[0123]FIG. 13 shows the configuration of a prior art HDD unit.

[0124]FIG. 14 shows the configuration of a prior art magnetic disk.

[0125]FIG. 15(a) shows the configuration of a GOP.

[0126]FIG. 15(b) illustrates that a prior art HDD unit carries outrecording on a GOP basis.

[0127]FIG. 15(c) is a time chart of a prior art HDD unit which carriesout recording and reproducing simultaneously.

[0128]FIG. 16 shows the reproducing operation of a prior art HDD unit.

[0129]FIG. 17(a) is a time chart of a prior art HDD unit in the casewhen a delay has occurred in recording or reproducing in the magneticdisk.

[0130]FIG. 17(b) is another time chart of a prior art HDD unit in thecase when a delay has occurred in recording or reproducing in themagnetic disk.

[0131]FIG. 18 shows the reproducing operation of a prior art HDD unitwhen a delay has occurred in recording or reproducing in the magneticdisk.

[0132]FIG. 19(a) shows the correspondence between LBAs and magnetic diskregions in a prior art HDD unit before an alternation process.

[0133]FIG. 19(b) shows the correspondence between LBAs and magnetic diskregions in a prior art HDD unit after an alternation process.

[0134]FIG. 19(c) shows the configuration of magnetic disk regions.

[0135]FIG. 20(a) illustrates an LBA reassignment process in a prior artHDD unit.

[0136]FIG. 20(b) shows the configuration of magnetic disk regions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0137]1 IEEE1394 bus

[0138]2 HDD unit

[0139]3 STB

[0140]4 Antenna

[0141]5 Monitor

[0142]7 IEEE1394 I/F

[0143]8 Stream controlling means

[0144]10 HDD

[0145]11 Tuner

[0146]13 AV decoder

[0147]14 IEEE1394 I/F

[0148]15 Transport decoder

[0149]16 Recording signal processing means

[0150]17 Reproduced signal processing means

[0151]18 Transfer controlling means

[0152]19 Buffer RAM

[0153]20 Microprocessor

[0154]21 Recording and reproducing port

[0155]23 Magnetic disk

[0156]24 Magnetic head

[0157]25 Actuator

[0158]26 Controller

[0159]27 Head amplifier

[0160]28 Driver

[0161]29 Interface

[0162]30 Buffer cache

[0163]36 a-36 c Waiting time for rotation

[0164]37 Worst process time in a unit

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0165] The embodiments of the invention are described below withreference to the drawings.

[0166] (Embodiment 1)

[0167] Embodiment 1 is described below first.

[0168]FIG. 1 shows a system containing an HDD unit 2 serving as anembodiment of a hard disk apparatus according to the invention.

[0169] The HDD unit 2 is connected to an IEEE1394 bus 1. An STB 3 isalso connected to the IEEE1394 bus 1. The STB 3 is further connected toan antenna 4 and a monitor 5.

[0170] The IEEE1394 bus 1 relays the transfer of AV data and theexchange of commands, and is based on the IEEE standard for highperformance serial bus defined in IEEE1394-1995.

[0171] The HDD unit 2 exchanges AV data with the STB 3 via the IEEE1394bus 1, and thereby records and reproduces the AV data.

[0172] The STB 3 is a set top box (receiver for satellite broadcasting)for receiving radio waves transmitted from broadcasting stations,displaying the received AV data onto the monitor 5, transferring thereceived AV data to the IEEE1394 bus 1, and displaying the AV datareceived from the IEEE1394 bus 1 onto the monitor 5.

[0173] The HDD unit 2 comprises an IEEE1394 I/F 7, stream controllingmeans 8, and an HDD 10.

[0174]FIG. 2 shows a detailed partial configuration of the streamcontrolling means 8 of the HDD unit 2.

[0175] The IEEE1394 I/F 7 comprises a recording and reproducing port 21.

[0176] The stream controlling means 8 comprises recording signalprocessing means 16, reproduced signal processing means 17, transfercontrolling means 18, a buffer RAM 19, and a microprocessor 20.

[0177]FIG. 3 shows the detailed configuration of the HDD 10.

[0178] The HDD 10 comprises a controller 26, a head amplifier 27, adriver 28, an interface 29, a buffer cache 30, a magnetic disk 23, amagnetic head 24, and an actuator 25. The HDD 10 is identical to that inthe description of the prior art.

[0179] In FIG. 1, the STB 3 comprises a tuner 11, a transport decoder15, an AV decoder 13, and an IEEE1394 I/F 14.

[0180] In FIG. 2, the IEEE1394 I/F 7 in the HDD unit 2 is an interfacethat exchanges commands and AV data with external devices via theIEEE1394 bus 1.

[0181] The recording and reproducing port 21 is connected to theIEEE1394 bus 1.

[0182] The stream controlling means 8 specifies an LBA (logical blockaddress) and thereby accesses the magnetic disk 23, and cansimultaneously process AV data of two channels or more.

[0183] The recording signal processing means 16 in the streamcontrolling means 8 analyzes the input MPEG-2 transport stream, andthereby generates special reproduction information. This means furtheradds a time stamp for accumulation to each transport packet in theMPEG-2 transport stream, and then transfers the packet to the transfercontrolling means 18.

[0184] The reproduced signal processing means 17 separates the timestamp for accumulation added to each transport packet in the MPEG-2transport stream transferred from the transfer controlling means 18, andthen transfers the transport packet to the IEEE1394 I/F 7 in the timeinterval indicated by the time stamp. In case of special reproduction,the reproduced signal processing means 17 rearranges the MPEG-2transport stream transferred from the transfer controlling means 18 soas to match with the MPEG-2 grammar, and thereby generates data forspecial reproduction.

[0185] In the recording of AV data, the transfer controlling means 18temporarily stores, into the buffer RAM 19, the MPEG-2 transport streamand the special reproduction information transmitted from the recordingsignal processing means 16. When the amount of the data accumulated inthe buffer RAM 19 reaches the amount of a disk access unit, the transfercontrolling means 18 issues, to the HDD 10, a command specifying thestart LBA and the number of sectors of a disk access unit, which is tobe written, and thereby transfers the data accumulated in the buffer RAM19 by the amount of a disk access unit, to the HDD 10. In contrast, inthe reproducing of AV data, when the data stored in the buffer RAM 19 istransferred to the reproduced signal processing means 17 by the amountof a disk access unit, the transfer controlling means 18 issues, to theHDD 10, a command specifying the start LBA and the number of sectors ofa disk access unit, which is to be read, and thereby stores the dataread out by the HDD 10 by the amount of a disk access unit, into thebuffer RAM 19.

[0186] The buffer RAM 19 is a synchronous dynamic RAM for storing datatemporarily.

[0187] The microprocessor 20 controls the processes of the IEEE1394I/F7, the stream controlling means 8, the recording signal processing means16, the reproduced signal processing means 17.

[0188] The controller 26 in the HDD 10 corresponds the specified LBA toa head position and a sector, controls the actuator 25 and the spindlemotor, and positions the magnetic head 24. As such, the controller 26controls the recording and reproducing operation of the magnetic head 24to and from the magnetic disk 23. More specifically, the controller 26detects the position of the magnetic head 24 relative to the magneticdisk 23 on the basis of the output of the head amplifier 27, and therebyoutputs, to the driver 28, a control signal for positioning the actuator25 at a predetermined position on the magnetic disk 23. Further, thecontroller 26 converts the signal from the output of the head amplifier27, into digital data. The controller 26 further converts digital datato be recorded, into a signal to be written, and thereby provides thesignal to the head amplifier 27.

[0189] The head amplifier 27 detects and amplifies the reproduced signalfrom the magnetic head 24. The head amplifier 27 further amplifies therecording signal.

[0190] The driver 28 provides a current corresponding to the controlsignal, to the actuator 25.

[0191] The interface 29 exchanges information including commands fromthe transfer controlling means 18 or data.

[0192] The buffer cache 30 stores such information and thereby recordingand reproducing in the magnetic disk 23 with high efficiency.

[0193] The magnetic disk 23 is a magnetic recording medium for recordingdata.

[0194] The magnetic head 24 records and reproduces information to andfrom the magnetic disk 23.

[0195] The actuator 25 carries the magnetic head 24 at the tip andthereby positions the magnetic head 24 at an arbitrary radial positionon the magnetic disk 23.

[0196] Although not shown in the figure, the system further comprises: aspindle motor for driving the revolution of the magnetic disk 23; and abuffer control unit for controlling the buffer cache 30.

[0197] In FIG. 1, the IEEE1394 I/F 14 in the STB 3 exchanges AV data andcommands with external devices connected to the IEEE1394 bus 1, via theIEEE1394 bus 1.

[0198] The tuner 11 receives and demodulates BS broadcasting.

[0199] The transport decoder 15 separates the MPEG-2 transport stream.

[0200] The AV decoder 13 expands the compression of the separated AVdata, and thereby converts the data into an analogue signal.

[0201] Each sector in the magnetic disk 23 has a length of 512 bytes.The stream controlling means 8 reads and writes data, for example, fromand to consecutive 4096 sectors in the magnetic disk 23 at a time. Adisk access unit herein indicates such a region of magnetic disk 23 fromand to which the stream controlling means 8 reads and writes data at atime.

[0202] The HDD unit 2 according to the present embodiment is an exampleof a hard disk apparatus according to the invention. The HDD 10according to the present embodiment is an example of recording meansaccording to the invention. The IEEE1394 I/F 7 according to the presentembodiment is an example of an interface according to the invention.

[0203] Described below is the operation of a system according to thepresent embodiment.

[0204] The operation of positioning the magnetic head 24 is describedbelow first.

[0205] In the recording and reproducing of AV data, the magnetic disk 23is rotated at a constant rate by a spindle motor not shown.

[0206] The magnetic head 24 is positioned by the actuator 25.

[0207] Each concentric track (a track “a” is indicated by a broken linein the figure) on the magnetic disk 23 is provided with positioninformation (“b” in the figure) in advance. The position information “b”is recorded on each track at a predetermined spacing. Accordingly, themagnetic head 24 reproduces the position information “b” in each timeinterval as the magnetic disk 23 rotates.

[0208] The reproduced signal from the magnetic head 24 is detected andamplified by the head amplifier 27, and then input to the controller 26.The controller 26 recognizes the position information on the basis ofthe input signal, and then calculates the position error of the magnetichead 23 relative to the target track “a”. The controller 26 furthercalculates the amount of control necessary for driving the actuator 25in order to reduce the position error, and then outputs a controlsignal.

[0209] On the basis of the received control signal, the driver 28supplies a necessary current to the drive coil 25 c of the actuator 25.Accordingly, a driving force is generated between the drive coil 25 cand the permanent magnet 25 d arranged in the position opposing thereto.By virtue of this, the actuator 25 rotates around a point “c” so as tocontinuously position the magnetic head 24 on the target track “a”. Inthis state, the magnetic head 24 records and reproduces data to and fromthe data region.

[0210] In the recording and reproducing of AV data, a seek action 31 isnecessary in which the magnetic head 24 moves from a track to anothertrack as shown in FIG. 4. In the seek action 31, the magnetic head 24rapidly moves from the present position (position 35 a) to the vicinityof the target track.

[0211] Nevertheless, the magnetic head 24 suffers rocking motion afterthe seek action, and hence needs a settling action 32 for settling theposition to the center of the target track (position 35 b). After thesettling action 32, the magnetic head 35 b is precisely positioned.After that, the recording or reproducing of the data is carried out.During this recording or reproducing of the data, the magnetic head 35 bneeds to be controlled so as to be positioned precisely on the targettrack. The magnetic disk 23 suffers various vibration during therotation, and the magnetic head 35 b also suffers vibration. Thus,necessary is a tracking action 33 for tracking the target track. Assuch, the operation of positioning the magnetic head 35 b includesroughly three modes, seek, settling, and tracking actions. During theseek and settling actions, the recording and reproducing of the data cannot be carried out. In contrast, the recording and reproducing of thedata can be carried out during the tracking action.

[0212] That is, as mentioned above in the description of the prior art,in the recording and reproducing of the AV data, the magnetic head 24moves to (seeks) a track in which the AV data is recorded, and thenwaits until an appropriate sector in which the AV data is recorded or tobe reproduced comes under the magnetic head 24 as the magnetic disk 23rotates. Then, the recording and reproducing of the AV data is carriedout.

[0213] Consecutive sectors can be read out continuously without themovement of the magnetic head 24 and the waiting for the disk rotation.In contrast, read-out from non-consecutive sectors needs the repeatedthree processes of magnetic head 24 movement, rotation waiting, and dataread-out. That is, an extra time is necessary for the time of magnetichead 24 movement and rotation waiting, during which data cannot be read,in comparison with the case of consecutive sectors. Accordingly, inorder to ensure the continuous transfer of AV data, the disk access unitwhich is the minimum unit in a continuous recording or reproducing of AVdata needs to be sufficiently long the frequency of occurrence of theseek and settling actions. Time for retry processes also needs to beconsidered.

[0214] Described below is a method of determining the disk access unitwhich is the minimum unit in a continuous recording or reproducing of AVdata, in a multi-channel processing case.

[0215] The size of the disk access unit is determined according to thefollowing Formula (1).

[0216] (Formula 1) $\begin{matrix}{{Rch} = \frac{D}{T}} & ( {{Formula}\quad 1} )\end{matrix}$

[0217] Here, Rch indicates the transfer rate per channel. D indicatesthe size of the disk access unit to be determined. T indicates theprocess time necessary for recording or reproducing the data of size D.

[0218] That is, Formula (1) gives transfer rate Rch when the size of thedisk access unit is D.

[0219] In case of AV data for ordinary resolution televisions, necessarytransfer rate is 15 Mbps or the like. In case of AV data for highdefinition televisions, necessary transfer rate is 30 Mbps or the like.Accordingly, when Formula (1) gives Rch of 30 Mbps or higher, AV datacan be continuously transferred in both cases of ordinary resolutiontelevisions and of high definition televisions. At that time, the sizeof the disk access unit is set to be D.

[0220] Described below is a method of calculating T in Formula (1). T isset to be the greater value between T1 obtained from the followingFormula (2) and T2 obtained from the following Formula (3).

[0221] (Formula 2) $\begin{matrix}{T_{1} = {{\frac{D}{Ri} \times C} + {W \times C} + {S_{st} \times C}}} & ( {{Formula}\quad 2} )\end{matrix}$

[0222] Here, T1 indicates the process time necessary for recording orreproducing the data of transfer size D to or from the innercircumference of the magnetic disk 23. D indicates transfer size. Riindicates the rate of recording to or reproducing from the innercircumference of the magnetic disk 23. C indicates the number ofchannels in the multi-channel processing. Sst indicates the timenecessary for a settling action. W indicates the time of rotationwaiting. $\begin{matrix}{T_{2} = {{( {C \div 2} )( {\frac{D}{Ri} + \frac{D}{Ro}} )} + {( {C{\% 2}} )\frac{D}{Ri}} + {W \times C} + {( {S_{fsk} + S_{st}} ) \times C}}} & ( {{Formula}\quad 3} )\end{matrix}$

[0223] Here, T2 indicates the process time necessary for recording orreproducing the data of transfer size D to or from both the innercircumference and the outer circumference of the magnetic disk 23. Dindicates transfer size. Ri indicates the rate of recording to orreproducing from the inner circumference of the magnetic disk 23. Roindicates the rate of recording to or reproducing from the outercircumference of the magnetic disk 23. C indicates the number ofchannels in the multi-channel processing. Sst indicates the timenecessary for a settling action. Sfsk indicates the time necessary for afull stroke. W indicates the time of rotation waiting. In the arithmeticoperation ÷ in Formula (3), a dividing operation is carried out, and thequotient alone is adopted, whereas the remainder is neglected. In thearithmetic operation % in Formula (3), a dividing operation is carriedout, and the remainder alone is adopted, whereas the quotient isneglected.

[0224] Described below is the case of two-channel processing. That is,C=2. Further assumed is that W=11 ms, Sst=2 ms, and Sfsk=18 ms. Usingthese values, T1 and T2 are obtained. The greater value of the two isadopted as T. Then, Rch is obtained from Formula (1).

[0225]FIG. 5 shows an example of the relation between D and Rch whenRi=70 Mbps and Ro=108 Mbps.

[0226] As seen from FIG. 5, the D value of 2048 Kbytes ensures thetransfer rate of 30 Mbps which is necessary in case of AV data for highdefinition televisions. Accordingly, the size of the disk access unit isset to be 2 Mbytes in the HDD unit 2 according to the presentembodiment.

[0227] The HDD unit 2 has the size of the disk access unit determined asdescribed above. Accordingly, it is assured that AV data can becontinuously transferred in both cases of ordinary resolutiontelevisions and of high definition televisions, in multi-channelprocessing.

[0228] Described below is the operation of recording and reproducing inthe HDD unit 2 having the disk access unit of the size ensuring thecontinuous transfer.

[0229] First, described below is the operation that the STB 3 receivesAV data transmitted from a broadcasting station of BS broadcasting, andthat the HDD unit 2 records the data.

[0230] An MPEG-2 transport stream is transmitted on radio waves from thebroadcasting station of BS broadcasting. The antenna 4 converts theradio waves into an electric signal.

[0231] The tuner 11 receives and demodulates the electric signal.

[0232] The transport decoder 15 separates the MPEG-2 transport stream.

[0233] The IEEE1394 I/F 14 generates an isochronous packet from theseparated MPEG-2 transport stream, and then transmits the packet to theIEEE1394 bus 1.

[0234] In the HDD unit 2, the IEEE1394 I/F 7 receives in the recordingand reproducing port 21 the isochronous packet transmitted through theIEEE1394 bus 1, with identifying the channel number. The IEEE1394 I/F 7converts the received isochronous packet into an MPEG-2 transportstream, and then transfers the transport packet successively to therecording signal processing means 16 at the timing indicated by the timestamp for transmission.

[0235] The recording signal processing means 16 adds a time stamp foraccumulation to the transport packet transmitted from the IEEE1394 I/F7. The recording signal processing means 16 further analyzes the MPEG-2transport stream, and thereby generates special reproduction informationwhich indicates the position of each frame which is used in case ofspecial reproduction. The MPEG-2 transport stream provided with thespecial reproduction information and the time stamp as described aboveare output to the transfer controlling means 18.

[0236] The transfer controlling means 18 arbitrates the data transferbetween the recording signal processing means 16, the reproduced signalprocessing means 17, and the HDD 10. When receiving the transport packetprovided with a time stamp and the special reproduction informationtransmitted from the recording signal processing means 16, the transfercontrolling means 18 stores the data temporarily into the buffer RAM 19.

[0237] In the timing that the sum between: the size of transport packetseach provided with a time stamp; and the size of header informationcontaining the special reproduction information and the like; bothstored in the buffer RAM 19 reaches the size of the disk access unit of2 Mbytes, the transfer controlling means 18 transfers to the HDD 10 theheader information and the transport packets each provided with a timestamp both stored in the buffer RAM 19. At this time, the transfercontrolling means 18 specifies the record start LBA and the number ofsectors for recording, and thereby issues a command which instructs theHDD 10 to record the data into the magnetic disk 23. Here, the number ofsectors for recording is the number of sectors of the disk access unit.The size of the disk access unit is 2 Mbytes, while the size of a sectoris 512 bytes. Accordingly, the number of sectors is 4096.

[0238] The controller 26 controls the rotation speed of the spindlemotor and the operation of the actuator 25. On the basis of theinstruction from the transfer controlling means 18, the controller 26processes the transferred data into a recording signal, amplifies thesignal by a predetermined magnification, and then transmits the signalto the magnetic head 24.

[0239] The controller 26 controls the actuator 25, and thereby positionsthe magnetic head 24 to the next recording position on the magnetic disk23. The magnetic head 24 records the signal onto the magnetic disk 23.On completion of the recording to the magnetic disk 23, the controller26 notifies the completion of recording, to the interface 29. Inresponse to this notification, the interface 29 notifies the completionof recording, to the transfer controlling means 18.

[0240] As such, the recording of data by the controller 26 is carriedout on a fixed-length disk access unit basis.

[0241] When notified that the HDD 10 has completed the recording, thetransfer controlling means 18 arbitrates again the recording signalprocessing means 16, the reproduced signal processing means 17, and theinterface 29.

[0242] As such, the STB 3 receives the AV data transmitted from thebroadcasting station of BS broadcasting, and then the HDD unit 2 recordsthe AV data.

[0243] Described below is the operation that the AV data recorded in theHDD unit 2 is reproduced through the IEEE1394 bus 1 onto the monitor 5connected to the STB 3.

[0244] The transfer controlling means 18 specifies the start LBA and thenumber of sectors of the AV data to be read out, and thereby issues aread command. The number of sectors to be read out is 4096 which is thenumber of sectors in the disk access unit.

[0245] On the basis of the LBA and the number of sectors specified bythe transfer controlling means 18, the controller 26 in the HDD 10controls the spindle motor and the actuator 25, and thereby positionsthe magnetic head 24 to the next read-out position of the AV data on themagnetic disk 23. The magnetic head 24 reads out the signal recorded onthe magnetic disk 23. The head amplifier 27 amplifies the signal by apredetermined magnification. The controller 26 converts the amplifiedsignal into digital data. The interface 29 then transfers the read-outdata to the transfer controlling means 18.

[0246] The transfer controlling means 18 stores the AV data having thesize of the disk access unit transferred from the interface 29,temporarily into the buffer RAM 19. The AV data stored in the buffer RAM19 is composed of header information and transport packets each providedwith a successive time stamp. The transfer controlling means 18successively transfers the AV data from the buffer RAM 19 to thereproduced signal processing means 16. In the timing that the AV datastored in the buffer RAM 19 is transferred to the reproduced signalprocessing means 17 by the size of the disk access unit of 2 Mbytes, thetransfer controlling means 18 issues the next read command to the HDD10.

[0247] The reproduced signal processing means 16 separates the timestamp added to the MPEG-2 transport packet of the AV data transmittedfrom the transfer controlling means 18, and then transfers the transportpacket without the time stamp to the IEEE1394 I/F 7 in the timingindicated by the time stamp.

[0248] The IEEE1394 I/F 7 transmits the AV data as an isochronous packetfrom the recording and reproducing port 21 to the IEEE1394 bus 1.

[0249] The IEEE1394 I/F 14 in the STB 3 identifies the channel number,and then receives the isochronous packet transmitted from the IEEE1394I/F 7. The IEEE1394 I/F 14 then converts the received ischronous packetinto an MPEG-2 transport stream, and then outputs the data to thetransport decoder 15.

[0250] The transport decoder 15 separates the MPEG-2 transport stream,and thereby converts the stream into a packetized elementary stream(PES).

[0251] The AV decoder 13 expands the compression of the PES, convertsthe data into an analogue signal, and then outputs the signal to themonitor 5.

[0252] The monitor 5 displays the AV data.

[0253] As such, the AV data recorded in the HDD unit 2 is reproducedthrough the IEEE1394 bus 1 onto the monitor 5 connected to the STB 3.

[0254] Described above in detail is the operation that the HDD unit 2records and reproduces AV data.

[0255] Described below are examples of multi-channel processing. Thatis, an example is the operation that the AV data is recorded, and at thesame time, reproduced at normal speed. Another example is the operationthat the AV data is recorded, and at the same time, reproduced byspecial reproduction.

[0256] First, the STB 3 receives the AV data transmitted from thebroadcasting station of BS broadcasting, and then the HDD unit 2 recordsthe AV data. Described below is the operation that the AV data isrecorded, and that at the same time, the AV data recorded in the HDDunit 2 is reproduced through the IEEE1394 bus 1 onto the monitor 5connected to the STB 3.

[0257] The operation that the HDD unit 2 records the AV data is the sameas that described above. That is, the IEEE1394 I/F 7 receives in therecording and reproducing port 21 an isochronous packet for recording,with identifying the channel number. The recording signal processingmeans 16 adds a time stamp for accumulation to the transport packet. Therecording signal processing means 16 further analyzes the MPEG-2transport stream, and thereby generates special reproductioninformation. Then, the recording signal processing means 16 transfersthe MPEG-2 transport packet provided with a time stamp and the specialreproduction information, to the transfer controlling means 18.

[0258] The transfer controlling means 18 stores the AV data and thespecial reproduction information transmitted from the recording signalprocessing means 16, temporarily into the buffer RAM 19. When apredetermined number of transport packets each provided with a timestamp are accumulated in the buffer RAM 19, the sum between the size ofthese transport packets and the size of header information containingthe special reproduction information and the like reaches the size ofthe disk access unit of 2 Mbytes. In this timing, the transfercontrolling means 18 transfers the data having the size of 2 Mbytes fromthe buffer RAM 19 to the interface 29 in the HDD 10. At this time, thetransfer controlling means 18 specifies the record start LBA and thenumber of sectors for recording, and thereby issues a command whichinstructs the HDD 10 to record the data. Here, in case that the HDD 10is presently in the course of data transfer, the recording command isissued after the completion of the data transfer.

[0259] On receiving the command via the interface 29 in the HDD 10, thecontroller 26 records the data into the magnetic disk 23.

[0260] The AV data recorded in the magnetic disk 23 as described aboveis reproduced simultaneously. In reproducing, the transfer controllingmeans 18 specifies the start LBA and the number of sectors (4096sectors) of the AV data to be read out, and thereby issues a commandwhich instructs the HDD 10 to read out the data. Here, in case that theHDD 10 is presently in the course of data transfer, the read command isissued after the completion of the data transfer.

[0261] On the basis of the start LBA and the number of sectors to beread out specified by the transfer controlling means 18, the controller26 controls the spindle motor and the actuator 25, and thereby reads outthe AV data through the magnetic head 24. The AV data read out istransferred to the interface 29.

[0262] The transfer controlling means 18 stores the AV data having thesize of the disk access unit transferred from the interface 29,temporarily into the buffer RAM 19. The transfer controlling means 18successively transfers the AV data to the reproduced signal processingmeans 17. In the timing that the AV data stored in the buffer RAM 19 istransferred to the reproduced signal processing means 17 by the size ofthe disk access unit, the transfer controlling means 18 issues the nextread command to the HDD 10. In case that the HDD 10 is presently in thecourse of data transfer, the read command is issued after the completionof the data transfer.

[0263] The reproduced signal processing means 17 separates the timestamp added to the transport packet, and then transfers the transportpacket to the IEEE1394 I/F 7 in the timing indicated by the time stamp.

[0264] The IEEE1394 I/F 7 transmits the MPEG-2 transport stream as anisochronous packet from the recording and reproducing port 21 to theIEEE1394 bus 1.

[0265] In such simultaneous recording and reproducing, the transfercontrolling means 18 issues commands, with queuing the transmission ofrecording data and the transfer of reproduced data. Further, thetransfer controlling means 18 arbitrates the data transfer between therecording signal processing means 16, the reproduced signal processingmeans 17, and the buffer RAM 19. Accordingly, the HDD unit 2 cansimultaneously process the data of two channels or more.

[0266] Described below in detail is the operation that the streamcontrolling means 8 and the HDD 10 simultaneously record and reproduceAV data in the above-mentioned case.

[0267] In the prior art, dummy data has been added to a GOP of AV data,whereby fixed length data has been generated. Then, the data has beenrecorded to the HDD 10 on a GOP basis. In contrast, in the presentembodiment, data is recorded to the HDD 10 by the unit of 194-byte datacomposed of a 188-byte transport packet 40 and a 6-byte time stamp 39 asshown in FIG. 6(a).

[0268]FIG. 6(b) shows (194×N+header size)−byte data composed of N piecesof 194-byte data (N indicates a positive integer) and a header. In thepresent embodiment, the header size is adjusted such that the total datasize equals to the size of the disk access unit of 2 Mbytes. That is, inone time of the recording or reproducing of the AV data stored in thebuffer RAM 19, data having the size of (194×N+header size)=2 Mbytes asshown in FIG. 6(b) is transferred to or from the HDD 10.

[0269]FIG. 7 shows a method of transferring the AV data. The buffer RAM19 comprises a recording buffer 41 and a reproducing buffer 42.

[0270] Transport packets are successively input from the IEEE1394 I/F 7to the recording signal processing means 14 in the stream controllingmeans 8, as indicated by input 43. In the input 43, data of 2 Mbytes orthe like is input in 0.5 second.

[0271] The recording signal processing means 14 adds a time stamp foraccumulation to the transport packet, and thereby generates 194-bytedata. The recording signal processing means 16 further generates specialreproduction information, and then transfers the 194-byte data and thespecial reproduction information to the transfer controlling means 18.The transfer controlling means 18 stores the data transferred from therecording signal processing means 14, temporarily into the recordingbuffer 41. The transfer controlling means 18 further generates headerinformation for the disk access unit containing the special reproductioninformation, and then stores the header information into the recordingbuffer 41. The header information of the disk access unit is describedlater.

[0272] In the timing that the data having the size of the disk accessunit is accumulated in the recording buffer 41, the transfer controllingmeans 18 transfers to the HDD 10 the data having the size of the diskaccess unit stored in the recording buffer 41, and at the same time,issues a recording command. In case that the HDD 10 is presently in thecourse of data transfer, the transfer controlling means 18 carries outqueuing when receiving the new data transfer request. A command isissued to the HDD 10 immediately so that after the completion of thepresent data transfer in the HDD 10 the queued transfer request isprocessed. FIG. 7 illustrates the case that the size of the disk accessunit is 2 Mbytes.

[0273] On receiving the recording data and the recording command, theinterface 29 stores the data temporarily into the buffer cache 30, andthen transfers the data successively from the buffer cache 30 to thecontroller 26. As such, in response to the recording command from thetransfer controlling means 18, the controller 26 records the data havingthe size of the disk access unit into the magnetic disk 23, as indicatedby write 44. The time necessary in the write 44 is approximately 150-250ms.

[0274] The reproducing buffer 42 successively transfers data to thereproduced signal processing means 17. Then, as indicated by output 46,the reproduced signal processing means 17 outputs a transport packet tothe IEEE1394 I/F 7 in the timing indicated by the time stamp added tothe transport packet. In the output 46, data of 2 Mbytes or the like isoutput in 0.5 second.

[0275] In the timing that the data in the reproducing buffer 42 isoutput by the size of the disk access unit, the transfer controllingmeans 18 issues a read command to the HDD 10. In case that the HDD 10 ispresently in the course of data transfer, the transfer controlling means18 queues the new data transfer request. A read command is issued to theHDD 10 immediately after the completion of the present data transfer inthe HDD 10, whereby the queued transfer request is processed.

[0276] On receiving the read command, the interface 29 reads out thedata by the size of the disk access unit from the magnetic disk 23, andthen stores the data temporarily into the buffer cache 30. Then, thedata is successively transferred from the buffer cache 30 to theinterface 29. As such, in response to the read command from the transfercontrolling means 18, the controller 26 transfers the data from themagnetic disk 23 to the interface 29 as indicated by read-out 45. Thetransfer controlling means 18 stores the data read out as describedabove, temporarily into the reproducing buffer 42.

[0277] The above-mentioned recording and reproducing of AV data arecarried out, with the transfer controlling means 18 queuing the transferrequests to the HDD 10. FIG. 8 is a time chart showing this situation.

[0278] Transport packets each provided with a time stamp aresuccessively input to the recording buffer 41 as indicated by input 47a. In the timing that the data including the header is accumulated tothe size of the disk access unit, the data having the size of the diskaccess unit is written into the HDD 10 as indicated by W (write) 48 a.

[0279] On the other hand, transport packets each provided with a timestamp are successively output from the reproducing buffer 42 asindicated by output 50 a. In the timing that the data is output by thesize of the disk access unit, data having the size of the disk accessunit is read out from the HDD 2, and then stored into the reproducingbuffer 42 as indicated by R (read) 49 a. Each Arrow in the figureindicates a trigger for data transfer.

[0280] As such, the transfer controlling means 18 queues the recordingor reproducing requests to the HDD 10 in the order of occurrence, andthereby issues recording or reproducing commands to the HDD 10.

[0281] The recording and reproducing commands from the transfercontrolling means 18 are received by the interface 29. The interface 29transfers the data via the buffer cache 30. In the execution of arecording command, the controller 26 records the data stored in thebuffer cache 30, into the magnetic disk 23. In contrast, in theexecution of a reproducing command, the controller 26 moves the datafrom the magnetic disk 23 into the buffer cache 30.

[0282] The processes of W 48 a and R 49 a are completed in a timeshorter than that of the input 47 a and the output 50 a.

[0283] At that time, it is assumed that the reading of data having thesize of the disk access unit from the HDD 10 is delayed in comparisonwith normal cases because of the occurrence of retry and the like. FIG.9 is a time chart showing such a case that the reading of data from theHDD 10 is delayed. In FIG. 9, it is assumed that the process of R 49 bis delayed in comparison with normal cases.

[0284] Then, in the timing that data having the size of the disk accessunit is accumulated in the recording buffer 41 as indicated by input 47c, the data having the size of the disk access unit is written into theHDD 10 as indicated by W 48 c. After that, data is read out from the HDD10 as indicated by R 49 c.

[0285] As described above, the processes of W 48 b and R 49 c arecompleted in a time shorter than that of the input 47 b and the output50 b. In contrast to the prior art in which such a delay has caused adrop in the AV data, the delay occurred in R 49 b can be recoveredaccording to the present embodiment, as seen from FIG. 9.

[0286] As described above, in the timing that data having the size ofthe fixed-length disk access unit is stored in or output from the bufferRAM 19, data is recorded into or reproduced from the HDD 10. By virtueof this, even when the recording or reproducing to or from the HDD 10 isdelayed, no drop occurs in the AV data. Further, the delay can berecovered.

[0287] According to the HDD unit 2 of the present embodiment, when aprogram is reproduced and viewed on the monitor 5, the reproduction canbe temporarily stopped during the simultaneous recording and reproducingfor the purpose of the user's convenience. The display on the monitor 5is stationary, and the viewing is stopped temporarily.

[0288] After the temporary stop, the viewing can be continued on themonitor 5. Further, the user can trace the program to the presentlybroadcasted scene, with checking the essence of the program by specialreproduction such as fast reproduction. Such tracing the program to thepresently broadcasted scene by special reproduction is referred to astrace reproduction.

[0289] The operation in the trace reproduction is described below.

[0290] The operation of recording the presently broadcasted program isthe same as that described above, and hence the description is omitted.

[0291] By issuing a read command to the HDD 10, the transfer controllingmeans 18 reads out data for special reproduction used in the tracereproduction, and then stores the data temporarily into the buffer RAM19.

[0292] The transfer controlling means 18 reads the special reproductioninformation generated for this purpose in the recording, and therebyrecognizes the portion of the recorded AV data to be read out.

[0293] When a few frames of the data for trace reproduction isaccumulated in the buffer RAM 19, the transfer controlling means 18transfers the data for trace reproduction to the reproduced signalprocessing means 17.

[0294] The AV data is transferred as transport packets from the transfercontrolling means 18 to the reproduced signal processing means 17. Atthat time, only a part of the transport packets of the recorded AV dataare transferred. That is, transport packets containing all or part (forexample, the I-frame only) of each frame used in the specialreproduction are transferred. Accordingly, in some cases, informationnecessary in the MPEG grammar can be lost. Alternatively, unnecessaryinformation can be added.

[0295] Thus, the reproduced signal processing means 17 rearranges thereceived transport packets so as to match with the MEPG grammar, andthen transfers the rearranged transport packets as an MPEG-2 transportstream to the IEEE1394 I/F 7.

[0296] The following operation is the same as the above-mentionedreproducing operation, and hence the description is omitted.

[0297] As such, in case of trace reproduction, the reproduced signalprocessing means 17 rearranges an MPEG-2 transport stream for specialreproduction.

[0298] As described above, in the HDD unit 2 according to the presentembodiment, the size of the disk access unit has been determined so thatcontinuous transfer of the AV data is ensured even in multi-channelprocessing. In addition, adopted is a recording format suitable for therecording and reproducing of AV data.

[0299] Accordingly, in the reproducing of AV data, avoided is theproblem that the data transfer by the HDD unit 2 is delayed due to theprocesses in which the AV decoder 13 expands the compression of the AVdata, converts the data into an analogue signal, and thereby displaysthe data onto the monitor 5. Further, in the recording of AV data,avoided is the problem that the HDD unit 2 can not completely record theAV data received by the tuner 11 and transferred from the IEEE1394 I/F14, and that an overflow is caused in the buffer RAM 19.

[0300] The AV data recorded in the magnetic disk 23 is deleted whenunnecessary. The deletion is carried out on the disk access unit basis.

[0301] Accordingly, each blank region on the magnetic disk 23necessarily has the size of the disk access unit or larger even afterrepeated recording and deletion of AV data in the magnetic disk 23. Thisavoids the occurrence of a region smaller than the size of the diskaccess unit. This ensures continuous transfer of the AV data inrecording and reproducing.

[0302] Further, the size of the disk access unit has been determined sothat continuous transfer of the AV data is ensured even in case of AVdata for Hi-visions (high definition televisions) having a high transferrate. Thus, simultaneous recording and reproducing can be carried outeven in such a case.

[0303] The recording format adopted in the HDD 10 according to thepresent embodiment is described below.

[0304]FIG. 10 shows the recording format according to the presentembodiment.

[0305] The disk access unit 51 has a fixed length determined asdescribed above. A typical size of the disk access unit is 2 Mbytes. Thedisk access unit 51 is divided into a header 52 and an MPEG-2 transportstream 53.

[0306] The header 52 contains chain information 54 and specialreproduction information 55.

[0307] The chain information 54 contains the disk access unit numberserving as the address referring the next disk access unit 51. Thespecial reproduction information 55 contains: location information usedfor accessing a frame of the AV data; information specifying the type(I-, P-, or B-frame) of the frame; and the frame number.

[0308] The MPEG-2 transport stream 53 contains transport packets 59 eachprovided with a time stamp as indicated by a time stamp header 58.

[0309] Since the disk access unit 51 has a fixed length, the header 58of each transport packet can be obtained by calculation. This speeds upthe access.

[0310] Further, since the header 52 of the disk access unit 51 containsthe special reproduction information 55, special reproduction is carriedout efficiently even in simultaneous recording and reproducing.

[0311] The present embodiment has been described for the case that thestream controlling means 8 processes the transfer to the HDD 10 in theorder of occurrence of transfer requests. However, the present inventionis not restricted to this. The stream controlling means 8 may processthe transfer to the HDD 10 in the order of priority of the transferrequests. For example, recording requests may be provided with a higherpriority than that of reproducing requests, whereby recording may beprocessed with priority.

[0312] Further, the present embodiment has been described for the casethat the HDD unit 2 comprises stream controlling means 8. However, thepresent invention is not restricted to this. The HDD unit 2 may compriseno stream controlling means 8 but an HDD 10. Then, the function of thestream controlling means 8 may be carried out by a personal computer.

[0313] (Embodiment 2)

[0314] Embodiment 2 is described below.

[0315] The present embodiment is described for the case that an erroroccurred in recording or reproducing is processed in defective regionmanagement in the HDD unit.

[0316] The HDD unit according to the present embodiment is the same asthat according to Embodiment 1.

[0317] The HDD 10 retains a table shown in FIG. 11. The tablecorresponds LBAs to physical addresses. Similarly to the prior art caseshown in FIG. 19, when a defective sector is found, the HDD 10 carriesout an alternate process on a sector basis. The alternate process iscarried out by replacing a physical address in the table shown in FIG.11 by the physical address of a sector in the alternate region.

[0318] The buffer RAM 19 contains a DAU management table 80 shown inFIG. 12(a) and a DAU conversion table 84 shown in FIG. 12(b).

[0319] The DAU management table 80 is used for managing the regions ofthe magnetic disk 23 on the disk access unit basis. Each row in thistable comprises a DAU number 81, a DAU number 82 after alternateprocess, and an error counter 83.

[0320] The magnetic disk 23 is divided into disk access units. Then, theDAU number 81 identifies a disk access unit on the magnetic disk 23.

[0321] The error counter 83 counts the number of failure in therecording and reproducing of the data to and from the disk access unitwithin a predetermined time interval.

[0322] The DAU number 82 after alternate process is the DAU number of adisk access unit used in place of the disk access unit in which thenumber of failure indicated in the error counter 83 exceeds apredetermined value.

[0323] The DAU conversion table 84 is used for obtaining the start LBAof a disk access unit from the disk access unit number.

[0324] A DAU number 85 is a disk access unit number.

[0325] A start LBA 86 is the start LBA of a disk access unit.

[0326] Disk access units are classified in advance into disk accessunits used for normal recording and reproducing and disk access unitsused for alternate processes. For example, disk access units having DAUnumbers 1-10000 are used for normal recording and reproducing, whiledisk access units having DAU numbers 10001-10500 are used for alternateprocesses.

[0327] Described below is the operation of a system having theabove-mentioned configuration according to the present embodiment.

[0328] Similarly to Embodiment 1, the transfer controlling means 18specifies an LBA and the number of sectors, and thereby instructs theHDD 10 to record or reproduce AV data.

[0329] More specifically, the transfer controlling means 18 determinesthe DAU number of a disk access unit for the next recording (orreproducing), and then converts the DAU number 81 into the DAU number 82after alternate process by referring to the DAU management table 80.

[0330] For example, in FIG. 12(a), when the DAU number of a disk accessunit for the next recording (or reproducing) is 4, the transfercontrolling means 18 reads the DAU number 82 after alternate process inthe row having the DAU number 81 of 4. This number is the desired DAUnumber after alternate process. In FIG. 12(a), the DAU number afteralternate process is 4 which is the same as the DAU number beforealternate process.

[0331] The transfer controlling means 18 further refers to the DAUconversion table 84, and thereby obtains the start LBA corresponding tothe DAU number 82 after alternate process. In FIG. 12(b), the start LBA86 corresponding to the DAU number 85 of 4 is 12289.

[0332] The start LBA and the number of sectors of the disk access unitobtained as described above are notified to the HDD 10. The number ofsectors is 4096, herein.

[0333] The HDD 10 converts the LBA into a physical address, using thetable shown in FIG. 11 for corresponding an LBA to the combination of atrack number and a sector number. That is, when receiving the LBA andthe number of sectors from the transfer controlling means 18, thecontroller 26 in the HDD 10 identifies a sector on a track on themagnetic disk 23 according to the table shown in FIG. 11, and therebyrecord or reproduce AV data.

[0334] In the recording of data, in case that the data can not normallybe written into a sector, the controller 26 carries out retry processes.Similarly, in the reproducing of data, in case that the data can notnormally be read out from a sector, the controller 26 carries out retryprocesses. When the number of retry processes exceeds a predeterminedvalue such as ten, an alternation process is carried out on a sectorbasis similarly to the prior art management of defective regions shownin FIG. 19. The alternate process is carried out by replacing a physicaladdress in the table shown in FIG. 11 by the physical address of asector in the alternate region. As such, the alternation process in theHDD 10 is the same as the prior art.

[0335] On the other hand, the transfer controlling means 18 measures theprocess time for the disk access unit under present recording (orreproducing). When the recording (or reproducing) process time exceeds apredetermined value, the error counter 83 shown in FIG. 12 isincremented by unity.

[0336] For example, when the recording (or reproducing) process time forthe disk access unit corresponding to the DAU number 81 of 4 exceeds thepredetermined value, the error counter 83 corresponding to the DAUnumber 81 of 4 is incremented by unity from 5 into 6.

[0337] When the count number in the error counter 83 exceeds apredetermined value such as ten, the transfer controlling means 18carries out an alternation process on a sector basis, whereby the diskaccess unit is replaced by another disk access unit.

[0338] For example, in FIG. 12, the error counter 83 for the disk accessunit corresponding to the DAU number 81 of 4 has a present value of 5.However, when the number becomes 11, the DAU number 82 after alternateprocess corresponding to the DAU number 81 of 4 is rewritten from 4 into10001. As such, the alternation process is carried out by changing theDAU number 82 after alternate process into the DAU number of a diskaccess unit used after the alternation process. Further, in case thatbefore the alternation process on a sector basis, any data is alreadystored in the disk access unit corresponding to the DAU number of 4, thedata is copied into the disk access unit corresponding to the DAU numberof 10001. Then, the error counter 83 corresponding to the DAU number 81of 4 is reset to zero.

[0339] The DAU management table 80 is updated as such. Accordingly, whenthe disk access unit corresponding to the DAU number 81 of 4 is accessedfor recording or reproducing, the disk access unit corresponding to theDAU number of 10001 is actually accessed. Thus, the defective diskaccess unit is not used hereafter by virtue of the alternation processon a disk access unit basis.

[0340] As such, the transfer controlling means 18 carries out analternation process on a disk access unit basis. In the prior art caseof an alternation process on a sector basis, a disk access unit iscomposed of non-consecutive sectors after the alternation process. Inthe recording and reproducing of the data in such a disk access unit,seek actions are unavoidable during one transfer operation to or fromthe disk access unit. That is, the alternation process according to theprior art reduces the transfer rate of the data. This can impaircontinuous transfer of the AV data.

[0341] In contrast, the transfer controlling means 18 according to thepresent embodiment carries out an alternation process on a disk accessunit basis. This resolves the above-mentioned problem.

[0342] In addition to the alternation processes on a disk access unitbasis carried out by the transfer controlling means 18, the HDD 10carries out alternation processes on a sector basis similar to the priorart. Accordingly, a disk access unit can be composed of non-consecutivesectors after the HDD 10 carries out an alternation process. This causesthe necessity of seek actions during the recording and reproducing ofthe data to and from the disk access unit.

[0343] However, the transfer controlling means 18 measures the processtime for the disk access unit under recording or reproducing. At thattime, the process time for the disk access unit under recording orreproducing is assumed to be shorter than a predetermined value when,for example, up to four sectors in the disk access unit have undergonethe alternation process by the HDD 10. Nevertheless, when five sectorsin the disk access unit have undergone the alternation process on asector basis by the HDD 10, the process time for the disk access unitunder recording or reproducing is assumed to exceed the predeterminedvalue.

[0344] In this case, at the time when four sectors in the disk accessunit have undergone the alternation process, the transfer controllingmeans 18 does not increment the error counter 83. In contrast, at thetime when five sectors in the disk access unit have undergone thealternation process, the transfer controlling means 18 increments theerror counter 83 for the disk access unit during the recording orreproducing. When the value in the error counter 83 exceeds ten, thetransfer controlling means 18 carries out an alternation process on adisk access unit basis. That is, a disk access unit does not need to becomposed of consecutive sectors completely, but may containnon-consecutive sectors in a certain number such as four.

[0345] Accordingly, a disk access unit containing defective sectors notexceeding a predetermined number such as three can be used as a diskaccess unit for alternation process.

[0346] Further, the alternation process on a disk access unit basisaccording to the present embodiment does not cause extra seek actions.This avoids the necessity of the time-consuming LBA reassignment processin the prior art.

[0347] Accordingly, continuous transfer of the AV data is ensured evenafter the alternation process.

[0348] The present embodiment has been described for the case that thebuffer RAM 19 contains the DAU management table 80 and the DAUconversion table 84, and that the transfer controlling means 18 carriesout an alternation process on a disk access unit basis. However, theinvention is not restricted to this. The HDD 10 may comprise a memory,whereby the memory may contain the DAU management table 80 and the DAUconversion table 84. Further, the HDD 10 may carry out an alternationprocess on a disk access unit basis. The DAU management table 80 and theDAU conversion table 84 contained in the buffer RAM 19 are recorded intothe magnetic disk 23 in the HDD 10 at a predetermined timing. By virtueof this, when the power is switched off and then switched on later, theDAU management table 80 and the DAU conversion table 84 are read outfrom the magnetic disk 23 into the buffer RAM 19. Thus, the DAUmanagement table 80 and the DAU conversion table 84 are conserved evenafter power-off.

[0349] The present embodiment has been described for the case that thedisk access units are managed using the DAU management table 80 and theDAU conversion table 84. However, the invention is not restricted tothis. Without the DAU conversion table 84, the start LBA of a diskaccess unit may be calculated according to a rule providing thecorrespondence between disk access units and LBAs. An example of therule is that the LBAs in descending order are sequentially assigned tothe disk access units in descending order of the DAU number. In thiscase, the start LBA of a disk access unit is easily calculated becausethe size of the disk access unit is fixed. Further, it is possible notto use any of the DAU management table 80 and the DAU conversion table84. In this case, using the table shown in FIG. 11 for correspondingLBAs to physical addresses, the physical addresses of all the sectors ina disk access unit are changed into those of consecutive alternatesectors as a whole. This permits an alternation process on a disk accessunit basis.

[0350] The present embodiment has been described for the case that adisk access unit containing defective sectors not exceeding apredetermined number can be used as a disk access unit for alternationprocess. However, the invention is not restricted to this. a disk accessunit containing no defective sector may solely be used as a disk accessunit for alternation process.

[0351] The present embodiment has been described for the case that whenthe count number in the error counter for a disk access unit exceedsten, an alternation process on a disk access unit basis is applied tothe disk access unit. However, the invention is not restricted to this.The alternation process on a disk access unit basis may be applied tothe disk access unit, when the count number in the error counter exceedsa predetermined value such as 5, 15, and 20.

[0352] The present invention also provides a program for causing acomputer to carry out the operations in all or part of the steps (orprocesses, operations, effects, etc.) of the access method of theinvention described above, wherein the program operates in collaborationwith the computer.

[0353] The present invention also provides a medium holding thereon aprogram for causing a computer to carry out all or part of theoperations in all or part of the steps of the recording/reproducingmethod of the invention described above, wherein the medium is readableby the computer and the thus read program carries out the aboveoperations in collaboration with the computer.

[0354] Here, part of the steps (or processes, operations, effects, etc.)of the invention means some of the plurality of steps, or some of theoperations in one step.

[0355] A computer readable recording medium with the program of theinvention recorded thereon also falls within the scope of the presentinvention.

[0356] In one utilization mode of the program of the invention, theprogram may be recorded on a recording medium readable by a computer,and operated in collaboration with the computer.

[0357] In another utilization mode of the program of the invention, theprogram may be transmitted through a transmission medium, read by acomputer, and operated in collaboration with the computer.

[0358] The data structure of the invention includes data base, dataformat, data table, data list, data type, or the like.

[0359] The recording medium includes a ROM or the like, and thetransmission medium includes a transmission medium such as the Internet,or a transmission medium such as light, electric waves, sound waves,etc.

[0360] The computer of the invention described above is not limited topure hardware such as a CPU, but may include firmware, an OS, or even aperipheral device.

[0361] As described above, the configuration of the invention may beimplemented in software or in hardware.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0362] As seen from the above-mentioned description, the inventionprovides a hard disk apparatus, a recording/reproducing method, a mediumand a program, capable of avoiding an idle time in data transfer.

[0363] Further, the invention provides a hard disk apparatus, an accessmethod, a medium, and a program in which even when the recording orreproducing of AV data is delayed, the delay is recovered, whereby nodrop occurs in the AV data.

[0364] The invention provides a hard disk apparatus, a medium, and aninformation set in which a transfer rate above a certain level isensured in recording and reproducing even after alternation processesare carried out in the management of defective regions.

[0365] The invention provides a hard disk apparatus, a medium, and aninformation set in which in the management of defective regions, LBAreassignment is unnecessary.

1. (Amended) A hard disk apparatus comprising: recording means ofrecording AV data onto a hard disk; and stream controlling means whichis connected to the recording means and thereby processes the signal ofAV data transmitted from an interface or the signal of AV datatransmitted to the interface; whereby the hard disk apparatus can recordand/or reproduce the AV data, wherein when the number of events that theAV data transfer is not completed within a predetermined time intervalexceeds a predetermined value for a disk access unit which is a minimumcontinuous unit in the access to the hard disk and has a size ensuringreal-time transfer of the AV data, an alternation process on a diskaccess unit basis is carried out so that another disk access unit isused hereafter in place of that disk access unit.
 2. (Deleted) 3.(Amended) A hard disk apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when theAV data transfer is not normally completed for a sector on the harddisk, the recording means carries out an alternation process on a sectorbasis so that another sector is used hereafter in place of the sector inwhich the transfer is not normally completed.
 4. A hard disk apparatuscomprising: recording means of recording AV data onto a hard disk; andstream controlling means which is connected to the recording means andthereby processes the signal of AV data transmitted from an interface orthe signal of AV data transmitted to the interface; whereby the harddisk apparatus can record and/or reproduce the AV data in multi-channelprocessing, wherein: in the recording, in the timing that the AV datatransmitted from the interface is accumulated to a predetermined size ina buffer in the stream controlling means, the stream controlling meansgenerates a write request for causing the data having the predeterminedsize accumulated in the buffer to be transferred to the recording means,and then the recording means records the data having the predeterminedsize; and in the reproducing, in the timing that the data having thepredetermined size is read out from the buffer in the stream controllingmeans into the interface, the stream controlling means generates a readrequest for causing the data to be transferred from the recording means,and then the recording means reads out the data having the predeterminedsize and thereby stores the data into the buffer.
 5. A hard diskapparatus according to claim 4, wherein the stream controlling meansissues transfer commands corresponding to the write and read requests tothe recording means, in the order of reception of the requests.
 6. Ahard disk apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the stream controllingmeans issues transfer commands corresponding to the write and readrequests to the recording means, in the order of predetermined priority.7. A hard disk apparatus according to any one of claims 4-6, wherein thedata having the predetermined size has a fixed length.
 8. A hard diskapparatus according to claim 7, wherein the fixed length is an integermultiple of the byte number of a sector.
 9. A hard disk apparatusaccording to claim 7 or 8, wherein: the AV data is an MPEG transportstream; and the data having the predetermined size is composed of aheader and a predetermined number of time-stamped packet data pieceseach generated by adding a time stamp to a transport packet of the AVdata.
 10. (Deleted)
 11. (Deleted)
 12. (Added) An access method used forhard disk apparatus comprising: recording means of recording AV dataonto a hard disk; and stream controlling means which is connected to therecording means and thereby processes the signal of AV data transmittedfrom an interface or the signal of AV data transmitted to the interface;wherein the hard disk apparatus can record and/or reproduce the AV data,wherein when the number of events that the AV data transfer is notcompleted within a predetermined time interval exceeds a predeterminedvalue for a disk access unit which is a minimum continuous unit in theaccess to the hard disk and has a size ensuring real-time transfer ofthe AV data, an alternation process on a disk access unit basis iscarried out so that another disk access unit is used hereafter in placeof that disk access unit.
 13. (Added) A recording/reproducing methodused for a hard disk apparatus comprising: recording means of recordingAV data onto a hard disk; and stream controlling means which isconnected to the recording means and thereby processes the signal of AVdata transmitted from an interface or the signal of AV data transmittedto the interface; whereby the hard disk apparatus can record and/orreproduce the AV data in multi-channel processing, wherein: in therecording, in the timing that the AV data transmitted from the interfaceis accumulated to a predetermined size in a buffer in the streamcontrolling means, the stream controlling means generates a writerequest for causing the data having the predetermined size accumulatedin the buffer to be transferred to the recording means, and then therecording means records the data having the predetermined size; and inthe reproducing, in the timing that the data having the predeterminedsize is read out from the buffer in the stream controlling means intothe interface, the stream controlling means generates a read request forcausing the data to be transferred from the recording means, and thenthe recording means reads out the data having the predetermined size andthereby stores the data into the buffer.
 14. (Added) Acomputer-processable medium carrying a program and/or data for causing acomputer to execute all or part of the steps of the access methodaccording to claim 12, wherein when the number of events that the AVdata transfer is not completed within a predetermined time intervalexceeds a predetermined value for a disk access unit which is a minimumcontinuous unit in the access to the hard disk and has a size ensuringreal-time transfer of the AV data, an alternation process on a diskaccess unit basis is carried out so that another disk access unit isused hereafter in place of that disk access unit.
 15. (Added) Acomputer-processable medium carrying a program and/or data for causing acomputer to execute all or part of the steps of therecording/reproducing method according to claim 13, wherein in therecording, in the timing that the AV data transmitted from the interfaceis accumulated to a predetermined size in a buffer in the streamcontrolling means, the stream controlling means generates a writerequest for causing the data having the predetermined size accumulatedin the buffer to be transferred to the recording means, and then therecording means records the data having the predetermined size; and inthe reproducing, in the timing that the data having the predeterminedsize is read out from the buffer in the stream controlling means intothe interface, the stream controlling means generates a read request forcausing the data to be transferred from the recording means, and thenthe recording means reads out the data having the predetermined size andthereby stores the data into the buffer.
 16. (Added) A program forcausing a computer to execute all or part of the steps of the accessmethod according to claim 12, wherein when the number of events that theAV data transfer is not completed within a predetermined time intervalexceeds a predetermined value for a disk access unit which is a minimumcontinuous unit in the access to the hard disk and has a size ensuringreal-time transfer of the AV data, an alternation process on a diskaccess unit basis is carried out so that another disk access unit isused hereafter in place of that disk access unit.
 17. (Added) A programfor causing a computer to execute all or part of the steps of therecording/reproducing method according to claim 13, wherein in therecording, in the timing that the AV data transmitted from the interfaceis accumulated to a predetermined size in a buffer in the streamcontrolling means, the stream controlling means generates a writerequest for causing the data having the predetermined size accumulatedin the buffer to be transferred to the recording means, and then therecording means records the data having the predetermined size; and inthe reproducing, in the timing that the data having the predeterminedsize is read out from the buffer in the stream controlling means intothe interface, the stream controlling means generates a read request forcausing the data to be transferred from the recording means, and thenthe recording means reads out the data having the predetermined size andthereby stores the data into the buffer.